GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman athletics department recognized five award winners during its Senior Student-Athlete Ceremony on Thursday evening on campus.

Honorees included Julian Ashby (football), Chrissy Fleming (softball), Jacob Johanning (football), Chloe Fabio (softball), and Luke Sommerdyke (mascot).

Ashby received the Dr. John M. Block Academic Award, which is presented to the male senior with the highest highest GPA, and the Dr. Gary Clark Student-Athlete Achievement Award that "recognizes a senior, female or male, who has embodied throughout their entire Furman career what it truly means to be a Paladin student-athlete through academics, athletics, campus involvement, and community service."

Fleming was accorded the Elizabeth Blackwell Academic Award for the female senior with the highest GPA.  

Johanning and Fabio, meanwhile, shared the Bryce Stanfield Iron Paladin Award, recently renamed for Stanfield, the Paladin football player who passed away suddenly on Feb. 9.  It is "presented to high achievers in the weight room who exemplify an elite standard in work ethic, attitude, and accountability."

Sommerdyke, who served as Furman's mascot, was presented the inaugural Shining Knight Award "to a senior Paladin who exudes positivity and optimism, has demonstrated extraordinary support of Furman Athletics, and consistently puts others before self."

Senior student-athletes representing all Furman sports, as well as support groups including band, cheer, dance, managers, and trainers, were presented stoles.

Ashby, a December 2023 summa cum laude graduate with a 3.96 grade point average in physics, was a four-year letterman in football who landed both Phil Steele All-America honors and College Sports Coordinators Academic All-America laurels for Division 1, encompassing both Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).  The Lilburn, Ga., product handled snapping duties for all Furman PATs, field goals, and punts over the last four seasons, successfully executing 412 snaps while working with a pair of All-SoCon punters and an all-conference placekicker during his Paladin tenure.

He played a key role in Furman's 10-3 campaign in 2023 that was highlighted by the Paladins' SoCon championship and quarterfinal round appearance in the FCS playoffs.  Furman finished the campaign ranked sixth in the AFCA FCS Poll.

In addition, Ashby was active in the community, working with local non-profit Valiant Player and making multiple visits to Prisma Health Children's Hospital and pediatric patients.  He also organized toy drives among Furman student-athletes for patients and visited local elementary schools for reading sessions and official welcomes.  A member of Furman's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) leadership team, he volunteered at Rise Against Hunger meal packaging events coordinated by the organization.

A three-time SoCon All-Academic Team and four-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll selection, Ashby is pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt, where he will exercise his final season of football eligibility this fall.

Fleming is a four-year member of the Furman softball team and sports a 3.97 GPA is a double major in applied mathematics and physics.  The Windemere, Fla., native has batted .235 this season for the Paladins and belted her first career home run in a victory over DePaul. She is a member of the SoCon Academic Honor Roll and was selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team a year ago.

A Simpsonville, S.C., product, Johanning was selected as the SoCon's top offensive lineman in 2023 by capturing the Jacobs Blocking Award and collected All-America honors from the AFCA, Associated Press, and Stats Perform this past season after serving as a team co-captain and helping the Paladins to a 10-3 campaign, SoCon championship, FCS quarterfinal round playoff appearance.

A two-time consensus first team all-conference selection, he finished his career as a two-time All-American and owner of 39 starts.  A December graduate with degree in business administration and 3.53 GPA, he was also named to the SoCon All-Academic Honor Roll four times, was a three-time SoCon All-Academic Team honoree, and two-time CSC Academic All-District choice.  He also earned a post-season invitation to the Hula Bowl in January and earlier this week signed a free agent contract with thfe Las Vegas Raiders.

Fabio, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a four-year starter at third base for the Furman softball team and serves as a team captain. The senior has batted .250 with five extra-base hits, 12 RBIs, and a .360 on base percentage in 48 games during the 2024 campaign. Fabio garnered SoCon Player of the Week honors on March 18 after going 6-for-7 with six RBIs in the Paladins' doubleheader versus Gardner-Webb.

A native of Charleston, S.C., Sommerdye is a two-year member of the Furman spirit program who will be accorded dual bachelor degrees in German studies and business administration on Saturday. A three-year Furman admissions advisor, he also served as president for his fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon.